Machine for automatically gathering and collating sheets and the like



Aug. 27, 1929. (s. w.. YOUNG MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY GATHERING. AND

COLLATING SHEETS AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Eiled Jan. 13, 1928MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY GATHERING AND COLLATING SHEETS AND THE LIKEFiled Jan. 13, 1928 4 SheetsSheet 2 AFIGJ. I

Aug. 27, 1929. w, YOUNG 1,726,010-

G. w. YOUNG MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY GATHERING Aug. 27, 1929.

AND COLLATING srmms AND THE LIKE Flled Jan 15 1928 n 7 mm Aug. 27, 1929.l a. w. YOUNG 1,726,010 MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY GATHERING ANDCOLLATING SHEETS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 1a, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

PATENT OFFEQE.

GEORGE WILLIAM YOUNG, OF DULWICH, LONDON, ENGLAND.

IAQHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY GATHERING AND COLLATING SHEETS AND THE LIKE.

Application. Med January 13, 1928, Serial Ito- 246,605, and in GreatBritain January 20, 1927.

This invention relates to automatic rotary gathering and collatingmachines for the use of printers and others, of the kind comprising arotary framework or carrier adapted to carry the piles of sheets to begathered, and suctlon means adapted to lift the top sheet from each pilein succession and deposit it upon a conveyor b which the sheets aretransferred to a pac 'ng device.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved and simplifiedconstruction of such machine which shall be 'e ually adapted forhandling single or folded s eets. A further object is to provide amachine of the 1 kind specified which shall be more compact and have alarger capacity than previously known machines.

As will readily be understood when suction devices applied from aboveare used for lifting folded sheets or signatures there is a tendenc forthe under part of the sheet to sag an interfere with the proper workingof the machine.

' Accordingly the present invention consists in providing in associationwith the sheet lifting devices means to support from the underside thesheets carried by the sheet lifting devices. Suitable mechanism isprovided to ensure the withdrawal or removal of the said support meanswhen the sheets are deposited on the conveyor band and to replace themunder the next sheet lifted. The movement executed by the sheet liftingdevices in transferring sheets from the rotary carrier to the conveyorband may take any desired form but preferably includes a verticalmovement in taking the sheet from the carrier and a horizontal movementin transferring the sheet to a position over the conveyor.

The invention is hereinafter more fully explained with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which one practical form of construction of myimproved sheet gathering and collating machine is illustrated.

In these drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an improved sheetgathering and collating machine constructed and arranged in accordancewith this invention. a

Fig. 1" is a detail elevation of the same from the reverse side and on alarger scale.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.

Fig. 2 is a detail plan of the same corresponding with Fig. 1. on a larer scale.

F1 3 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the (parts in differentposition,

Figs. 4 an 5 are plan views of one of the sheet lifting devices with thesheet supporting fingers in different positions and Figs. 6, 7 and 8 arefront elevations of one of the sheet lifting devices the views. beingtaken at different phases in the cycle of operation of the machine.

Referring to these figures it will be seen that the improved sheetgatherin and collating machine comprises a whee -like carrier a mountedto rotate about a horizontal axis and having pivotally suspended atpoints around its periphery cradles a on which the piles of sheets aresupported. In the example illustrated each cradle is designed to carryfour piles of sheets, and sheet lifting and transferring devices 0corresponding in number to the piles of sheets on the cradles arearranged to operate on opposite sides of the rotary carrier. Rotarymotion is imparted to the carrier a through worm and worm wheel gearing7; connecting it to a drive shaft b which may be fitted with fast andloose belt pulleys b.

The. suction sheet-lift1ng devices are arranged to move firsthorizontally towards the axis of the rotary carrier, descend ver:tically on to the piles of sheets on the cradles, then lift verticallyfrom said piles and move horizontally back to position over conveyorbands which assemble the sheets in the required sequence in packingdevices provided for their reception. For this purpose the machine frameextends in opposite directions from the axis of the rotary carrier a andthe terminal portions of the frame are each provided with equally spacedchannel-shaped guide-ways d along which move slides e operativelyconnected by links f and levers f to oscillating cross shafts F. Thevarious slides on each side of the machine may be connected by a crossbar (not shown) and rotary pinions e mounted on the slides may bearranged to mesh with fixed horizontal racks e to ensure unison ofmovement throughout the slides. Oscillatory motion is imparted to thecross shafts f by cams g through the medium oflevers g and links 105 9the cam shafts being connected-through bevel or other suitable gearing gwith the drive shaft 6' of the machine. The suction sheet liftingdevices a are mounted upon travellers 0 arranged to detachably engageand move with the slides e along the guideways 03.

Between the rotary carrier a and the near ends of the guide-ways dvertically reciprocating columns h are provided having short horizontalchannel-shaped guides h which when raised come into register with theguide-Ways d and receive the travellers 0 projected forwardly by theslides '6 after which the descending movement of the columns causes theconnection between the travellers c and-the slides e to be severed untilthe columns rise again after the sheet lifting operation andre-establish said connec= tion. This connection is effected by 'avertical pin 0 in the one part engaging a corresponding hole in theother part in a manner permitting separation when the travellerdescends, whilst maintaining a positive connelction of the parts whenaligned horizonta 1y.

The columns h are hollow and guided by .central guide rods k and uponcross-heads k oscillated vertically by cams 11 operating through levermechanism 11', the cams being driven through spur gearing' (not shown)connecting with the shafts of the cams g. In order to achieve a rapidvertical movement in the colunms without throwing undue stress on thecam z" the gearing is so arranged that the cam z rotates twice as fastas the cam 9. Hence the columns descend idly between every twosuccessive operative descents.

The connection between the vertically oscillating columns 72) and therocking levers i is such as to permit of some lost motion between theparts in order that when the sheet lifting devices come into contactwith the piles of sheets the motion of the levers may. continueunimpeded. In this way effective contact is established between thelifting devices and the sheets at each cycle of operations regardless ofthe variation in height of the different piles.

Extending transversely of the terminal portions of the machine frame isan endless band conveyor j which receives thesheets from the suctionlifting devices and assemble them in packers (not shown). Said conveyoris driven by chain and sprocket gear j from the main drive shaft 6'.

Where small sheets only are to be handled the sheet lifting devices maycomprise single suction plates but to enable sheets of varying sizes tobe dealt with effectively each a sheet lifting device preferablycomprises as shown in Figs. 4ito 8 two or more suction plates kadjustably mounted upon a hollow bar k engaged with the traveller a,each plate having on its underside a rubber sue bear by gravity,

tion cup is communicating through pipe connections k with the interiorof the bar k. which forms a suction conduit connected by a. flexibletube to a pump (not shown). Each suction plate has a set screw iswhereby it may be secured in any desired adjusted position on the bar.70;

The sheet supporting means which form a characteristic feature of thisinvention comprise fingers Z pivotally mounted on the suction plates andarranged to swing in horizontal planes close under the sheet as thelatter is lifted from its pile and to remain in a position, forsupporting the sheet until the latter is over the conveyor band 7'whereupon they are Withdrawn from underthe sheet-lifting device untilnext lifting operation.

The required movements are imparted to these fingers by pistons moperating in air cylinders m mounted on the top of the suction plates,the pistons being connected by links m to cranks Z rigid with thefingers l and operated by suction and pressure alternately conveyedthrough the hollow bar is and the flexible conduit. Communicationbetween the suction pipe k and the interior of the cylinders m iscontrolled by taper plug valves n, normally retained in an open positionby the action of tension springs n but adapted to be turned to a closedposition as shown in Fig. 7 when contact is established between thesheet lifting device and the pile of sheets. For this purpose a crankpin n projecting from the plug of the valve h is operatively engagedbetween pins 0 projecting laterally from aplunger 0 slidingverticallyina guide aperture in the suction plate and depending from theunderside thereof for contact with the pile of sheets. A gravity catchlever pivotally supported upon the hollow bar 70' and a springinfluenced plunger 72 are arranged to assist in controlling themovements of the fingers Z in a manner hereinafter described.

As the sheet lifting devices move from over the conveyor i towards thecradles their sheet supporting fingers are in the retracted position andretained against movement by the gravity catch lever p and thoughsuction exists throughout the conduit and such suction acts upon thepistons, the fingers Z are unable to move because they are held back bythe gravity catch lever p. Fig. 6 illustrates the parts during thisperiod of the cycle of operation. When the sheet lifting device drops onto the 'pile of sheets the plunger 0 is pressed upwardly causing thevalve n. to be closed temporarily and at the same time the gravity catchlever p, by contact with the sheets, is raised from in front of thefingers Z as shown in Fig. 7. It will be noted that the pile of sheetsis so placed that the gravity catch lever engages the backs as thesuction devices lift from the piles thereby opening the valves n andcausing the fingers to swing in under the sheet. The parts now remain inthis position until on coming over the conveyor band j the springinfluenced plunger p is depressed by engagement with a cam track g onthe machinev frame said plunger bearing upon the tail of the catch leverand temporarily supporting the weight of the gravity catch lever 12 asshown in Fig. 8. The suction conduit is now temporarily connected bysuitable valve mechanism to the compression side of the pump so that awave of air pressure acts in forcing back the fingers Z to the retractedposition. At the same time a ball valve '1' is blown down into, a valveseating within the rubber suction cup 70 thus cutting off the airsuction from the top of the sheet which is allowed to fall to theconveyor below. This air pressure is continued whilst the suctionlifting device moves forward sufiicient: 1y for the plunger 1) to clearthe cam q and allow the catch lever p to descend to a nor mal positionwhereupon the air pressure is cut off and suction resumed,

I claim 1. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine,comprising a rotary carrier having suspended cradles, sheet liftingmeans provided with means to support from the underside work sheets'carried by said sheet lifting means and means whereby said sheetlifting means are reciprocated vertically over the cradles. i

2. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine comprising arotary carrier with suspended cradles, sheet lifting means guidedreetilinearly towards and from said carrier, means whereby said sheetlifting means are reciprocated vertically over the cradles, and sheetsupporting fingers co-opcrating with the sheet lifting devices.

3. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine according to claim2 wherein the means for actuating the sheet lifting devices and thesheet supporting fingers are pneumatically operated.

4. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine as claimed inclaim 2, including a sheet gathering conveyor band, travelers wherebythe sheet lifting devices are carried and horizontal guideways extendingover the sheet gathering conveyor band and on which said travelersoperate.

5. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine, comprising arotary carrier having suspended cradles, sheet lifting means, verticallyreciprocating columns by which said sheet lifting means are lowered onto the cradles, a sheet gathering conveyor band, horizontal guidewaysextending over said band, travelers whereby the sheet lifting devicesare carried, the said colunms having short guideways adapted in theirupward position to align with the'said guideways which extend over theconveyor band.

6. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine according to claim2, wherein the sheet lifting device comprises a plurality of suctionplates each provided with a suction tube on the under side and aconnecting bar upon which said suction plates are ad ustably arranged.

7. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine according to claim2, where in the sheet supporting fingers are pivot d to swing inhorizontal planes close under the lifted sheet and including aircylinders attached to the sheet lifting means and pistons operated insaid cylinders and by which said sheet supporting fingers are actuated.

8. An automatic sheet gathering and collating machine according to claim2, wherein the sheet supporting fingers are pivoted to swing inhorizontal planes close under the lifted sheet and including aircylinders attached to the sheet lifting means and pistons operated insaid cylinders and by which said sheet supporting fingers are actuatedand also including spring influenced valve and gravity catch devices tocontrol the movements of the sheet supporting fingers.

In testimony whereof he has afiixed his signature. 4

V G. W. YOUNG.

